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you have to stay in cat character,” Cassie said. “Most people would just think it was weird if a cat acted strangely. But Chapman may be able to guess what’s going on if Fluffer suddenly starts acting un-catlike.”
    â€œSo, you’re saying I shouldn’t try eating with a fork or changing the channels on the TV?”
    Everyone laughed—quietly and nervously, but it was laughter just the same.
    Suddenly Tobias dropped out of the sky, then drifted over us in a lazy circle and called down,
    He settled back on the branch. He was really an amazing animal, when you just looked at him as a bird and didn’t think about him being a boy trapped in there. I mean, the gaze of a hawk when it is looking right at you is incredibly intimidating. Gentle Tobias now had an expression that looked totally ferocious.
    â€œYou’re kidding. You found Fluffer?” I asked.
    
    â€œRats?” That got Marco’s attention. “Rats? Here? This is suburbia. I mean, it’s a lot better than where I live. They have rats?”
     Tobias said. He fell silent, embarrassed.
    â€œGet a grip, Tobias,” Marco said. “Don’t start eating rats, all right? I don’t know if I can have someone who eats rats for a friend.”
    Sometimes Marco is funny. Sometimes he goes too far. This was one of those times. “Shut up, Marco,” I growled.
    â€œI ate a live spider,” Jake pointed out. “Does that mean you and I can’t be friends?” From his tone of voice I could tell he was angry, too.
    None of us knew what Tobias was going through. None of us had ever been in morph for more than two hours. Tobias had been a hawk for more than a week.
    Marco realized he’d been a jerk. “Well, yeah, I guess you’re right,” he muttered. “Besides, I’ve been known to eat eggplant. So I guess I can’t criticize.”
    That was an apology, or as close as Marco could get to an actual apology.
     Tobias said.
    He flew off, but kept low. We took off after him. Even flying at minimum speed, Tobias was too fast for us to keep up with, so he had to circle back again and again. We had a hard time keeping him in sight.
    â€œThis doesn’t look
too
strange,” Cassie joked. “The four of us running down the street looking up in the sky.”
     Tobias called down.
    â€œYeah. Just to our left?”
    
    â€œOkay, we can’t all go traipsing over some stranger’s yard,” I pointed out. “I’ll go with Cassie.”
    Marco held up the kitty carrier we had brought along. “Don’t you need this?”
    â€œNot yet. I’ll grab Fluffer and bring him back over here. You two guys just stand here, looking casual.”
    Cassie and I stepped onto the lawn. The house was dark. Maybe no one was home. That would be good.
    â€œGo left,” I suggested to Cassie. We circled the tree.
    â€œHey, Fluffer,” I said in a high, talking-to-animals voice. “Here, kitty kitty. Remember me?”
    â€œThere he is.”
    â€œI see him.” I squatted down and held my hand out toward the cat. “Hey, Fluffer Fluffer. It’s me, Rachel.”
    Fluffer flattened his ears back along his skull. He looked from me to Cassie and back again.
    â€œCome on, Fluffer, it’s me. Come on, boy.”
    â€œHe’s a male? He’s a tomcat?” Cassie asked.
    â€œYeah, I think so.”
    â€œOh,